Adams Family Correspondence, volume 9
br6 1790
Mr Adams received your Letter dated August 31.1 he sat of that morning after for Philadlphia and desired me to let you know that he would transmit to you an order from the treasury for the Sum you received of Generall Lincoln upon his return. where is Thomas we have been daily expecting him for near a Month, and mr Adams delayd going his journey a week expecting him here. he wrote me that he could not come on imediatly after commencment as you had not sufficient in your hands for that purpose. I accordingly sent on by dr Jeffries 35 dollors—directed to you, which I presume you received. I have written to his Brother & last week to him advising him to come by the Way of RhoadIsland, but have not heard a single word where he is, nor why he does not come if he is sick, or met with any accident we should be glad to know it. Mrs Cranch wrote me that a Gentleman and Lady from Demerara wanted to take a 104ready furnishd House, and inquired if we would Let ours. I could wish that a place which cost us so much Money might be made a little profitable to us. I have desired mrs Cranch that you might be consulted about it, and if any terms should be offerd that you think would compensate for the use of House garden and furniture, you will be so good as to inform us— things are not conducted there according to my mind, because we do not know how they are managed. mr Adams had thoughts of going to Braintree, but his journey to Philadelphia will prevent it as I suppose if he can get a House there, we must remove next month. he wishes you to inform him, the Sum you have of paper, and the different kind's
the wine which mr Codman has in his care we will thank you to Send round by Barnard as we can remove it with our other things. I do not expect to see my Friends untill an other year, when I hope to spend the summer with them.
How will Elections go? are they Still in a rage for Rotations in Massachusetts? or does the Clamour rise from a few wrestless spirits who have no other importance.2 if they change mr Gerry for a mr any body else, they will lose one of the firmest men they have as independant a man, and as honest a one. in the first Session, his mind was irritated & he was hurt, his speaches were misrepresentd, and his conduct misconstrued, but through the whole of this last session no man has exerted himself more for the honour and Reputation of the Nation, nor more firmly gaurded the constitution against innovation. I most sincerely hope he will be reelected.3
I hope my dear sir that all your Family are well and that you enjoy good Health yourself. I am very sorry to hear that we are like to lose Governour Bowdoin, from the accounts we hear, I fear there is little hope of his recovery—4
All Letters addrest to the V President are frankd in the post office, so that you may write by that conveyance when you please.
will you be so good as to tell mr Codman that as the President and Secretary of State are both absent, there cannot any application be made at present in favour of his Brother, that on a former occasion when mr A Named a Gentleman to the Pressident as proper for consul, he replied that he had no other objection than that a much greater Number had been appointed from N England than from any other of the States, and that his object had been to distribute offices as equally as possible. mr A will however communicate to mr Lear the contents of the Letter.5
I am dear sir / your affectionate
RC (NHi:Misc. Mss. Adams, Abigail); endorsed: “Mrs. Ab. Adams Sept 6. 1790.”
Not found.
Amidst strong opposition in the local press to the incumbent congressional delegation, the Boston Columbian Centinel reported on 1 Sept., “Electioneering, for Congressional seats, is carried on with great spirit in several of the States. . . . Every error of the present Congress is pointed out with the finger of patriotism, and with infallible prescience it is now clearly seen how every difficulty might have been avoided; and if the blessed principle of Rotation is attended to, a NEW SET, profiting by the mistakes of the OLD, will guide the political ship to, UNIVERSAL approbation.” Several days later, another piece in the Centinel bemoaned “the open condemnation of all the measures of Congress” in Massachusetts newspapers, concluding that the authors’ “object is no other than Rotation—the ousting of the old, to make way for a new set of goodly rulers—men of great abilities—profound euridition—and legislature knowledge” (4 Sept.).
Elbridge Gerry was reelected to the House of Representatives, where he served until March 1793. Representatives Fisher Ames, Benjamin Goodhue, Theodore Sedgwick, George Leonard, and George Thatcher were also returned to Congress. Only Jonathan Grout of Worcester County and George Partridge of Plymouth County lost their bids for reelection, to be replaced by Artemas Ward and Shearjashub Bourne, respectively (
Biog. Dir. Cong.
). For Bourne, see also Mary Smith Cranch to AA, 12 Dec. 1790, note 1, below.
JQA reported to JA on 9 Aug. (Adams Papers) that James Bowdoin was “dangerously ill. He had at first a severe paralytic stroke, and was yesterday attacked with a Dysentery.” Bowdoin died on 6 Nov. (
DAB
).
When Richard Harrison of Virginia declined the appointment of consul at Cadiz, John Codman Jr. wrote to JA requesting that his brother, Richard, be considered for the position (27 Aug., Adams Papers). JA replied on 10 Oct. (Adams Papers) that, though he would communicate Codman's letter to Thomas Jefferson, it was unlikely that the appointment would go to someone from Massachusetts. Jefferson included Codman in a list of candidates for the position in Feb. 1791, but the slot remained vacant until Feb. 1793 when the Senate confirmed Joseph Yznardi Jr., a Spanish merchant, to the post (Washington, Papers, Presidential Series
, 5:473; Jefferson, Papers
, 19:317, 22:431–432, 27:60).
ante 8] September 17901
I received with great Pleasure your Letter of the 9 of August, inclosing a Receipt from Mr Parsons for one hundred Pounds lawful Money, which you paid him in the month of August, Second day, in full for your Tuition as a Clerk in his office for the term of three Years.2
I learned, with Pleasure also, that on the 9th of August you took Possession of an office in my house, where I wish you more pleasure and as much Profit as I once had.
At the Age of 23, My son, I know by Experience, that in the Profession of the Law, a Man is not to expect a run of Business, nor indeed enough to afford him a subsistence. I mean to assist you, till you can do without my Aid: I only ask of you to recollect that my Circumstances are not affluent: that you have Brothers and a sister who are equally intitled to assistance from me: and that therefore as 106Strict an Œconomy as is consistent with your Comfort and with decency is necessary.
There is a Pew in an Obscure Corner of Mr Thatchers Church which belongs to me.3 My Advice to you is to acquaint the Family in Possession of it, that you have the Care of it. indeed I would have you take Possession of it, and Sit in it— The Contribution I had rather pay than that you should not have a known Seat in some Meeting.
You are happy in a Connection with Dr Welsh. He is a Man of Sense and Information in publick as well as private affairs, and will be a worthy Friend to you. I hope he will introduce you to his Clubb:4 and I know that it will be in his Power and inclination to promote your Reputation.
Dread not “unmerited Enmity” nor “unprovoked Ma[li]ce” “Industry” and “honour” will dissipate every Vapour of those kinds. Patience will be necessary. You must take large draughts of Patience. nothing is to be done in this World with out that.
If you meddle with political subjects, let me Advise you to never loose sight of Decorum. Assume a Dignity above all Personal Reflections: and avoid as much as possible a Party Spirit. The true Interest and honour of your Country should be your only Object. And may you be a Terror to those evil Doers, to whom Truth and Falshood are equally but sport, honour but a Phantom, and their own insignificant importance their only objects. The hands of two many such Creatures appear in some of the Boston Newspapers.5
I shall give you the Care of my House where you are and will send you a Power for that Purpose.6 fifteen Pounds is too much to be deducted out of 36 for your office. I had however rather apply the whole 36 to your accommodation there than that you should go any where else.
Your communications on political subjects, will always be agreable.
Your Brother Charles is uncommonly assiduous in his office, and very attentive to his studies. He is acquiring [a] Reputation for the Ease and Elegance of his manners as well as for the solidity of his Pursuits.
I am uneasy at the Delay of your Brother Tho[mas.] I long to See you, as well as my Aged venerable, beloved Mother and all my other dear friends Around the Blue Hills.
I am with the tenderest Affection / your Father
RC (Adams Papers); addressed: “John Quincy Adams / Attorney at Law / Boston”; internal address: “Mr J. Q. Adams.”; endorsed: “My Father. September 1790.”; notation: “Free / John Adams.” Filmed at Sept. 1790. Some loss of text due to placement and removal of the seal.
The letter is dated based on the receipt of TBA's letter on 8 Sept. informing his parents he would soon arrive in New York; see AA to JQA, 9 Sept., below.
In his letter of 9 Aug., JQA expressed gratitude for his father's ongoing financial support: “After all the trouble, and all the expence which you have so liberally bestowed upon my education, I am sensible, that I cannot with a very good grace acknowledge my dependence upon your further assistance, and that at the age of 23 it is incumbent upon a man to rely for his subsistence, only upon his own exertions. But my confidence in your goodness is too well grounded, not to be convinced, that you will make every necessary allowance for the peculiar circumstances in my education which have retarded my advancement, and for the unfavourable situation of the profession which I have embraced” (Adams Papers). For the enclosure, see JA to JQA, 1 April, note 1, above.
The Adamses attended the Brattle Square Church when they lived in Boston prior to the Revolution. Dr. Samuel Cooper, the minister at the time and a friend of JA, baptized CA (JA, Papers
, 2:viii–ix; The Manifesto Church: Records of the Church in Brattle Square, Boston, 1902, p. 186).
For the Wednesday Evening Club, of which Welsh was a founding member, see vol. 6:355.
In a letter to JQA of 5 Sept., AA similarly noted, “Pray who is the writer, if it was not vulgar I would say the Liar in Edes paper under the signature of a Republican? Boston has justly the Character of the Nest of Sedition. There are no papers throughout the United States half as virulent, but the Government stands now too strong, for these wrestless Spirits to overturn” (Adams Papers). In the Boston Gazette, 16 Aug., “A Republican” attacked the editor of the Boston Columbian Centinel, accusing him of forwarding “the views of the artful and designing Aristocraticks” by suggesting that the supporters of the Constitution, in order to win the endorsement of their opponents, promised additional amendments without ever intending to pursue their adoption.
JA signed a power of attorney giving JQA control over the Court Street house on 1 June 1791 (Adams Papers).